The invention relates generally to cheeses and, more particularly, to process cheeses and a method of making the same.
The term "process cheese" as used herein will be understood to include those disclosed in the Federal Register, 24, 6478 (1959) and identified by the following Standard Numbers: 19.750, 19.755, 19.760, 19.765, 19.770, 19.775, 19.776 and 19.780.
The known methods by which process cheeses are made are described, for example, in the above-referenced Standards. However, it is briefly noted here that the basic principle for the production of process cheese or preparations obtained therefrom resides in comminuting unprocessed cheese or raw casein and then adding thereto other desired ingredients such as water, milk components or products and aromatizing foods. Emulsifying salts such as phosphates and citrates are also added in order to hydrate the unprocessed cheese or raw casein, and these are added in such a quantity, for example, about 3% by weight, that the resulting process cheese melts upon being heated to temperatures of about 60.degree.C. Finally, the process cheese in liquid form is heated in the temperature range of about 80.degree. to 110.degree.C for an extended period of time in order to improve the preservative properties thereof. While still hot, the process cheese is packed in suitable containers such as foil packages and the thus-packaged process cheese subsequently is used mainly on bread.
A particular use for process cheese resides in the making of hot cheese dishes such as bread or toast with crisped process cheese (Welsh Rarebits), scrambled eggs with process cheese, pancakes with process cheese, cheese souffles, meat and fish dishes with inlays of process cheese, etc. Since process cheese melts at temperatures between approximately 55.degree. and 70.degree.C, melting of the process cheese occurs when making these so-called hot cheese dishes. However, melting of the process cheese is a disadvantage for these hot cheese dishes.
Melting of the process cheese when making hot cheese dishes is in contrast to what occurs when using hard cheeses or so-called natural cheeses. Thus, although, generally speaking, cheeses soften at a temperature of about 50.degree.C, and although certain hard cheeses such as, for instance, cheddar and swiss cheese, will melt at temperatures of about 80.degree. to 90.degree.C thereby yielding a cheese food known as fondue, it is nevertheless true that when slices of cheddar, gouda or swiss cheese, for example, are heated on toast, they will flow to only a slight extent. The cheese slices will lie closely adjacent the underlying support which may be, for instance, toast with ham or a slice of bread. On the other hand, if such toasting is carried out using the same quantities of heat but with process cheese instead of the aforementioned hard cheeses, the process cheese will melt in dependence upon its water content and run off the bread.
Despite the fact that hard cheeses and natural cheeses flow to only a slight extent when heated, these cheeses still exhibit certain disadvantages. Thus, hard cheeses, ripened cheese, cottage cheese, fresh cheese and the like tend to form threads, become tough and release whey when subjected to heat treatment such as, for example, crisping or frying.
On the one hand, then, it would be desirable for process cheeses which are to be used for toasting, grilling, broiling, frying, baking and the like to remain firm and not to flow too extensively when subjected to such heat treatments as is the case for the hard cheeses and natural cheeses mentioned above. On the other hand, it would be desirable if, at the same time, the disadvantages associated with these hard and natural cheeses could be eliminated. Although attempts have been made in the direction of making process cheeses melt-resistant by reducing the water content or by using increased quantities of emulsifying salts, these attempts have been largely unsuccessful.